[Sailormon6]

Our club has encouraged new participants in the racing program by having a "pro/am" race at the beginning of the racing season, in which veteran racers crew for new racers and show them how to start without getting run over, and how to find the marks of the course, and they give them some pointers on right-of-way and tactics and sail trim. That way, the new racers can learn enough to get by until they are able to polish their skills with experience. The pro/am race should not be a part of the regular racing series, because the new racers will get more out of the experience if the veteran racers are able to concentrate more on teaching than on racing.

If you have enough new racers, you can have separate starts for veterans and new racers. "A" fleet starts 5 minutes before "B" fleet, and when a B fleet racer has won two races, s/he must move up to "A" fleet.

You have to get through to the veterans that they absolutely must only use aggressive tactics with other veterans, and they should avoid intimidating the new racers. One bad experience can scare a new racer out of the game. There''s no reason to be aggressive with a competitor that is incapable of beating you.